I'll agree with Blandman overall....I don't have a reasonable expectation of the Sox competing. We competed last year, but fell short, and we needed Detroit to underperform to compete. They improved, we didn't. The Royals also improved. WE have a couple of players who could improve, but more who have a similar probability of regression. Looks like a .500 team. The glimmer of hope I have is that the pitching is above average, and that's the best strength to have.

Aside from our impotent farm system, we basically gave away Edwin Jackson at the deadline and Carlos Quentin in the offseason. We honed in on a couple of AAA pitchers who had slight off seasons as our prospects. They continued their slides with us. These are good players whom we really couldn't afford to give away. Could we have snuck in last year with Quentin/Viciedo as our LF/Bench bat (of which we had absolutely none)? Probably.

Thus, I hope we make a move. Either get a bat or get some young talent in here.

I understand and agree the need of a left handed bat. What I dont understand is where this left handed bat will play. If a deal could be made trading Viciedo for that left handed bat, that would make the most sense. Trading pitching for that left handed bat would have to produce a player that could play 3rd or 2nd. That is very difficult to find but if this would happen it would make Beckham the utility infielder which makes sense. Outside of these possibilities a left handed bat would be a DH (Thome, Hafner type). In order to get this bat in the lineup, Dunn would have to play LF, with Viciedo on bench or 1st, with Paul on bench. I really dont think that will help the club.

With John Danks coming back and signing Keppinger, I don't see why the White Sox won't get into the Playoffs in 2013. If we don't have any serious injuries from our team and everybody performs like they can it should be a great season on the Southside of Chicago.

With John Danks coming back and signing Keppinger, I don't see why the White Sox won't get into the Playoffs in 2013. If we don't have any serious injuries from our team and everybody performs like they can it should be a great season on the Southside of Chicago.

With John Danks coming back and signing Keppinger, I don't see why the White Sox won't get into the Playoffs in 2013. If we don't have any serious injuries from our team and everybody performs like they can it should be a great season on the Southside of Chicago.

I think you are on to something. A healthy and effective Danks would give the Sox a very powerful rotation. And after a year's experience in 2012, this bullpen could be lights out, too.

Might the Sox need to tweak the offense with perhaps an upgrade at catcher? That is a possibility but as the Sox showed in 2012 with the Youkilis deal, that could be done on the fly during the season if necessary.

With John Danks coming back and signing Keppinger, I don't see why the White Sox won't get into the Playoffs in 2013. If we don't have any serious injuries from our team and everybody performs like they can it should be a great season on the Southside of Chicago.

People keep acting like the Tigers don't have 6 impact bats in their lineup, 2 being two of the best in all of baseball, and a much better pitching staff.

NOBODY is doing that. Everybody is acknowledging that on paper, the Tigers have a better team. But games aren't played on paper. The Sox have a tremendous advantage both defensively and in the bullpen, and that counts for something too. Tyler Flowers has never started at the MLB level, and there's a chance--maybe not a high one, but a chance--that he might perform well with consistent playing time. Dayan Viciedo is 22 years old. He *might* get better. Maybe he won't, but nobody--including you--has any way of knowing that. Hell, there's a chance he might have a breakout year and hit .280 with 40 HRs. I'm not saying i'm holding my breath on it. But it CAN happen. Did anyone think Jose Bautista was going to do that?

Its so aggravating to read this crap because nobody has a clue. All we can do is speculate, and even the "experts" are limited to educated guesses. So to come in here spewing nonsense about how the Sox have no chance and Sale is going to get hurt and overall we shouldn't even bother with this team...I mean, what can you even say to that? It's sad.

There are so many variables at play in each and every game, and when you project those out for a full season...there are tons of possibilities. You don't know anything, just like the experts don't know anything, just like I don't know anything, etc. We can guess, but that's it. But you present your guesses as absolute fact, and that pisses people off.

Finally--this was supposed to be a thread about White Sox trade possibilities. Wow.

NOBODY is doing that. Everybody is acknowledging that on paper, the Tigers have a better team. But games aren't played on paper. The Sox have a tremendous advantage both defensively and in the bullpen, and that counts for something too. Tyler Flowers has never started at the MLB level, and there's a chance--maybe not a high one, but a chance--that he might perform well with consistent playing time. Dayan Viciedo is 22 years old. He *might* get better. Maybe he won't, but nobody--including you--has any way of knowing that. Hell, there's a chance he might have a breakout year and hit .280 with 40 HRs. I'm not saying i'm holding my breath on it. But it CAN happen. Did anyone think Jose Bautista was going to do that?

Its so aggravating to read this crap because nobody has a clue. All we can do is speculate, and even the "experts" are limited to educated guesses. So to come in here spewing nonsense about how the Sox have no chance and Sale is going to get hurt and overall we shouldn't even bother with this team...I mean, what can you even say to that? It's sad.

There are so many variables at play in each and every game, and when you project those out for a full season...there are tons of possibilities. You don't know anything, just like the experts don't know anything, just like I don't know anything, etc. We can guess, but that's it. But you present your guesses as absolute fact, and that pisses people off.

Finally--this was supposed to be a thread about White Sox trade possibilities. Wow.

Yes. I think Dayan and Sale have potentially high ceiling for their production this year, given their youth. Will be moving into peak seasons if not this year then soon. Andf Danks comes back near career norms... then 2013 Sox > 2012 by about 8-10 games. Dunn will be the big unknown and potentially drag the ship down if he does what he Dunn in the past. Also look for Quintana to improve upon his groundwork of 2012. Yes would love to get another bat like Melton/glove of Crede at 3rd, or Iguchi glove/Orta bat at 2nd but maybe Gordon will surprise. GO GO WHITE SOX